Formula 1 testing got under way in Bahrain on Wednesday, and it was the first time fans could see all the teams on track this year.
Teams and drivers did go out at the Barcelona ‘shakedown’ last month, but it was behind closed doors and Williams missed it because their car was not ready.
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Here’s how the cars were looking on day one at Bahrain…
Mercedes and George Russell were among those to run with with aerodynamic rakes, which are used to analyse air flow on the cars [Getty Images]
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will be racing alongside Isack Hadjar, who was promoted from Red Bull’s sister team for the 2026 season. Red Bull have gone for a gloss-finish livery, which was first seen in their debut season in 2005 [Getty Images]
Oscar Piastri drove for McLaren in the morning session, before world champion Lando Norris took over in the afternoon [Getty Images]
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will be looking for a strong start in what will be his second season with Ferrari [Getty Images]
Valtteri Bottas (pictured) and Sergio Perez have returned to the sport with Cadillac, the 11th team on the grid. The new team have opted for experienced drivers who have 16 race wins and 106 podiums between them [Getty Images]
Another new team name on the grid is Audi, who have replaced Sauber for 2026. They have kept drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto (pictured) [Reuters]
One of the new faces in the paddock is 18-year-old British rookie Arvid Lindblad, who is making his debut for Racing Bulls [Reuters]
World champion Lando Norris is seen smiling in the paddock and has predicted that there will be “more chaos in races” as a result of the new rules that have been introduced this year [PA Media]
Alpine have not made any dramatic changes to their livery. Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto (pictured) continue as drivers for them [Getty Images]
The Aston Martin has certainly caught the most attention up and down the paddock. The car has been designed under the leadership of design legend Adrian Newey [Getty Images]
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson is staying with the team for another season, partnering Arvid Lindblad [PA Media]
Carlos Sainz in the Williams as they attempted to make up for lost time, after missing Barcelona [Getty Images]
Esteban Ocon (pictured) and Briton Oliver Bearman are the drivers at Haas for a second year [Getty Images]
